Plant-Based Food Innovation with Univar and TerraVia

Univar, a distributor of food ingredients and provider of valueadded services across Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA), announced a distribution agreement across Europe for the AlgaVia® brand of Whole Algae Ingredients from TerraVia, a plant-based food, nutrition and specialty ingredients company, including algae-based products.
This portfolio expansion is in response to increasing consumer demands for clean label, natural, nonanimal sourced and allergen-free ingredients for their food products. “TerraVia’s innovative portfolio of products and company culture complement Univar’s approach and direction,” commented Simon Atkins, EMEA Industry Director, Univar Food Ingredients. “This portfolio will enable our customers to manufacture the next generation of food products to support the most important food trends that we see in the marketplace in 2017 and beyond.”TerraVia’s product lines include Lipid-Rich Whole Algae and Protein-Rich Whole Algae. Lipid-Rich Whole Algae is available in golden and cream varieties, which can replace eggs and dairy fats in a wide range of applications including bakery, beverages and desserts.

The removal of the animal-derived components can reduce calories, cholesterol and saturated fat, whilst maintaining the desired taste, mouth-feel and texture of the end product. Protein-Rich Whole Algae, which contains 63 percent protein and has a high digestibility of 88 percent, contains all essential amino acids and six times the arginine levels of standard whey. Suitable applications for the ingredient include, but are not limited to, beverages, bakery and snacks for protein enrichment purposes. “With the accelerating growth of plant-based foods, driven by consumer demand for clean labels and healthier foods with great taste, there are opportunities for our Lipid-Rich and Protein-Rich Whole Algae ingredients across every aisle of the grocery store,” said Mark Brooks, SVP and General Manager of Food Ingredients at TerraVia. “The relationship enhances our ability to serve the European markets and provide plant-based allergen-free ingredients to brands and consumers throughout the regions.”